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Updated January 10, 2024·
Go for the Sony WF1000XM5 if you appreciate high sound quality, portability, and active noise cancelling in earbuds, especially during air travel. However, be prepared to pay a premium price. The Soundcore Life Q30 headphones come at a lower cost and have the advantage of a wired option, longer battery life, and a foldable design which is good for portability despite being bulkier. Both are suitable for various audio contents and environments but the Sony has better sound quality, while the Soundcore offers more battery life and the versatility of a wired connection. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM5
Very good for music
Advantages of the Soundcore Life Q30
The Soundcore Life Q30 has no clear advantages over the Sony WF1000XM5.
Key differences
Music
8.0/10
7.1/10
The Sony WF1000XM5 is very good for music, while the Soundcore Life Q30 is good.
Battery
9.0 Hours
44.0 Hours
The Sony WF1000XM5 has 9 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Life Q30 has 44 hours of battery life.
Cost
$298
$80
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The Sony WF1000XM5 has a price of $298 and the Soundcore Life Q30 costs $80.
"The Sony WF-1000XM5 is among the best noise canceling earbuds currently on the market, and they aren’t cheap. These earbuds aren’t the best choice for budget-conscious listeners. But if you prioritize active noise cancelation, sound quality, and extensive software support, the WF-1000XM5 is worth its premium price tag."
"Every once in a while, headphones with an excellent price/performance ratio arrive that truly deserves all attention. Anker Soundcore Life Q30 are one of those headphones. Of course, they aren’t perfect, but they do most things better than their competition. Or they give you the option to make them better."
Get a great deal on the Sony WF1000XM5 or the Soundcore Life Q30
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
About Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.